Material handling device



Oct. 18, 1955 H. E. DAVIS MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE M w y my ad Ma m W mI W M7 a H Y (v E 0 United States Patent Office 2,720,955 Patented Oct.18, 1955 IVIATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE Hazel E. Davis, Long Beach, Calif.Application August 2, 1951, Serial N 0. 240,004 11 Claims. (Cl. 2ll6-56)The invention relates to a material handling device and it is a generalobject of the invention to provide a simple, practical improved devicefor handling material such as lip rouge, medicated compositions, etc.,such as are commonly handled in devices or applicators carried inpurses, kits, etc.

The material handled by the device of the present invention may inpractice vary widely in purpose. However, for purpose of example, I willrefer to the material as being lip rouge or lipstick, which material isordinarily established initially in stick form and is handled with anend of the stick exposed to facilitate application of the material. Itis common in the case of such material to apply a cup or cup-likecarrier to the end of the stick opposite that exposed for application,and the cup is applied to or incorporated in a dispensing deviceinvolving means by which the cup is shiftable in the device to move thestick into and out of position where the exposed end is accessible foruse. The material incorporated in sticks of the kind referred to isoften expensive and with the cup carrier construction referred to, asubstantial portion of the material is so incorporated in the cup thatit is inaccessible for normal use and can only be obtained by digging itout of the cup, all of which is in most cases highly inconvenient andunsatisfactory.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a device carrying orhandling materials such as I have referred to, for example, lipstick,and which is such that it can be operated in the manner common to theordinary lipstick handling device until the exposed portion of the stickof material has been consumed, whereupon the device can be operated toeject the materials from the cup carrying it, with the result that theentire body of material is made accessible for use in the ordinaryconvenient and accepted manner.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of thegeneral character referred to which may employ or incorporate means suchas are commonly employed for the housing and operation of a lipstick,making the normal or at least the initial operation of the lipstick thesame as that incidental to the normal or conventional type ofconstruction, and in which the operation required to gain ejection ofthe stick from the cup can be easily and conveniently performed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of thegeneral character referred to in which features such as thosehereinabove pointed out are gained by mechanism which is exceedinglysimple both in construction and operation, which involves fewinexpensive easily formed parts, and which is of such character as to beconvenient to use and commercially practical.

The device of the present invention involves an elongate tubular bodyopen at its outer end and provided at its inner end with a hollow head.A material carrier in the form of a cup is carried in the body and thestick of material has one end held in the cup while the other end isfree and projects to be accessible for use. The cup is slidable in thebody between a retracted position where it is at or near the head end ofthe body and an extended position where its rim or open end issubstantially flush with the open end of the body. An operating means isprovided for shifting the cup longitudinally in the body and preferablya cam means. In a preferred construction, this means involves an outercylindrical shell and an inner cam liner that is tight in the shell andwhich surrounds the body. A cam-way or opening defined by the lineraccommodates a cam follower that projects from the cup through alongitudinal guide slot in the body. The combined sleeve and cam linerare held on the exterior of the body for rotation relative to the bodyand against movement lengthwise of the body. When the unit formed by thesleeve and liner is rotated relative to the body, the cam followeroperating in the cam-way in the liner moves lengthwise of the body withconsequent movement of the cup lengthwise of the body. A materialejecting means is provided and is adapted to be operated to pushmaterial from the cup. This ejecting means preferably involves anejector or false bottom in the cup, a pusher or stem engaging theejector and passing through an opening in the bottom of the cup, meansreleasably connecting the cup and pusher, and operating means for thepusher. In one form, the means connecting the cup and pusher involvesthreads on the exterior of the pusher engaging threads in the opening ofthe cup bottom. In this case, the threads cooperate to normally hold thepusher against movement lengthwise of the cup and when the pusher isrotated relative to the cup, the pusher is operated lengthwise relativeto the cup. In another form of the invention, teeth on the exterior ofthe pusher in series lengthwise of the pusher, cooperate with the bottomof the cup, normally locking the pusher against movement lengthwise ofthe cup, and a notch in the wall of the opening in the bottom of the cupwill pass the teeth so that if the pusher is rotated from a positionwhere the teeth engage the bottom to a position where they register withthe notch, the pusher can be moved relative to the cup. The operatingmeans for the pusher preferably involves a key in the hollow head of thebody, a spindle rotatably carried by the head of the body and supportingthe key, and an operating knob on the spindle at the exterior of thehead provided on the body.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of typical preferredforms and applications of the invention, throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a device embodying the invention. Fig. 2is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the device, being a viewtaken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1, and is a view showing the capor closure of the device removed and the cup positioned in the body withthe exposed end of the lipstick accessible at the open end of the body.Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the lipstick used untilthere is but a limited portion projecting from the cup and showing thefalse bottom of the cup operated to a position where a portion of thematerial has been ejected from the cup and showing the cup in a fullyretracted position. Fig. 4 is a plan section taken as indicated by line4-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan section taken as indicated by line 5-5on Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cup element alone orapart from other elements of the structure. Fig. 7 is an opened out orplan view of the cam liner employed in the device. Fig. 8 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3, showing another form of construction, and Fig. 9 is atransverse section taken as indicated by line 99 on Fig. 8.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7,inclusive, the device provided for carrying the stick S of materialincludes, generally, a body A, a material carrier B in the body,operating means C for shifting the carrier longitudinally in the body,material ejecting means D provided for pushing or ejecting material fromthe carrier B, and if desired'the structure may include a. cap orclosure E, and other features of construction such as will behereinafter mentioned.

The material handled by the device may vary widely in form, characterand intended use. For instance, it may be a body of materialcontaining'a suitable medicament, for example, a body such as isemployed for applying material to a persons lips, hands, or other partsof the body, or it may, as indicated in the drawings, be a materialsuitable for application to the lips for the purpose of coloring thelips, such material, inthe form illustrated, being commonly known aslipstick.

The body A of the device has. a main portion 10, tubular in form, and inthe case illustrated it has a head 11 .at what may be termed the innerend of the body portion 10. In the case illustrated the tubular portionof the body is open at its outer end, and the head 11 occurring at theinner end of portion 10 is' in the nature of an enlargement involving anannular end 12, a round or disc end 13, and a cylindrical handle portion14. The annular end 12 is joined to and projects radially'from the innerend of body portion 10, and the outside diameter of end 12 is the sameas that of end 13. The handle portion 14 is preferably cylindrical informand projects axially from the end 12 away from the body portion 10and at its outer or extreme end it carries the end 13. The several partsof the head. can'be rigidly connected or integrally joined together, or,as I have shown in the drawings, the end 13 may be separable from theother parts to provide free access to the pusher hereinafter described.I show a mounting collar 13* projecting from the end 13 and frictionallyengaged in the handle portion 14 so the end can be detached from thehandle if desired. The portions 'of the head 11 combine or cooperate toform a closed hollow. head or enlargement on the body portion. 10, andthey establish a chamber or cavity X such as, is clearly shown in Figs.2 and 3 of the drawings. In the drawings, the several portions of body Aare shown as continuous or integralwith each other, while it is to beunderstood that, if desired, the body may be fabricated or made up ofseveral parts suitably connected or joined together, as may beconvenient.

'The material carrier B is located in the cylindrical body portion 10and is preferably in the form of a cup having a cylindrical sidewall anda bottom 21. The cup is of such size or outside diameter as to slidablyfit inside the tubular portion 10 of body A, and it is disposed in thebodyso that it opens outwardly or toward the open end of the bodyportion 10. In accordance with conventional practice followed in devicesprovided for handling lipsticks, or the like, inner or base end Y of thelipstick S is carried in and completely occupies the, cup formingcarrier B. The lipstick S projects outwardly from the cup and has,initially, a suitably shaped outer end 22 that can be applied to orrubbed on the lips when the cup is positioned in the body A, so thatthis end of the stick projects in the body in a manner such as isindicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The stick may be of such lengthinitially that the cup is at the inner end portion of the body and hasits end 22 close to or preferably Within the open end of body portion 10when the cup is fully retracted. As the lipstick is used or worn away,the cup can be operated by the means fC, causing it to move toward theopen end of body portion 10, with consequent advance of the stick in orthrough the body.

The operating means C is provided for operating or shifting thestick-carrying cup lengthwise in body portion 10, and in the structureillustrated this is a cam means of simple form and construction. Theparticular means C shown in the drawings involves an outer element orsleeve 30, tubular in form and surrounding the body portion 10, and aninner portion or cam liner 31 within the sleeve 30 and surrounding thebody portion 10. In the case illustrated the sleeve 30 is substantiallycoextensive with body portion 10, so that it has one end abutting thehead 11, while the other end is at and projects slightly from the openend of body 10 where it is turned inwardly at 33.

The cam liner 31 is initially formed as a flat blank such as is shown inFig. 7, and this blank is wrapped or bent into cylindrical form so thatit has an inner end 34 abutting the head 11, and an outer end 35 at theopen end of body 10 where it is engaged by an outwardly projecting lip36 on the outer end 'of the body. In the cylindrical or wrapped form thecam liner is tight in the sleeve 30 and it has opposed cam edges orfaces 37 that define a spiral cam-way 38.

A cam follower 39 projects cup of means B through a longitudinal guideslot 40 in the body portion 10 and into the cam-way 38.

With the constructionjust described the lip 36 on the open end of bodyportion 10 confines the assembled sleeve and cam liner on the bodyportion 10 for rotation relative thereto, without movement lengthwisethereof. Through engagement of the cam follower 39 in the camway 38rotation of the sleeve 30 with the cam liner tight in it causeslongitudinal movement of the cup in the body portion 10.

The material ejecting means provided by the present invention serves toeject material of the stick S from the cup of the carrying means as suchmaterial is required for use. In accordance with the invention the meansB involves, generally, an ejector or false bottom in the cup or carrierB, a pusher or stem 51 engaging the false bottom, means 52 releasablyconnecting the cup and pusher, and operating means 53 for the pusher.

The false bottom may be a simple, flat, disc-shaped element carried inthe cup or carrier, B to slide lengthwise thereof, and it is initiallylocated at the extreme inner end of the stick S to be tight between thebottom or inner end of the stickand the bottom 21 of the cup.

The pusher 51 is preferably an elongate stem located centrally of thestructure and extending longitudinally of the structure and it soengages the false bottom as to be operable to push the falsebottomoutwardly in the cup, preferably far enough out in the cup toeject practically all of the material of the stick from the cup. To

gain the desired operation of the false bottom, the stem 51 is ofsubstantial length and when the false bottom is against the bottom 21 ofthe cup, the stem projects below or inward of the cup through an openingin the bottom 21 of the cup, see Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The means provided for releasably connecting the cup and pusher shown inthe form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive,involves threads on the exterior of the pusher engaged with threads inthe opening provided through the bottom 21 to pass the pusher. Throughthe threaded engagement provided between the pusher and cup, the pusheris normally held against movement axially of the device or lengthwise ofthe cup. struction, as the pusher is rotated, itis caused to movelengthwise of the cup, and if rotated in the proper direction, it willadvance into the cup, pushing the false bottomjtoward the open end ormouth of the cup.

. In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 of thedrawings, the means releasably connecting the cup and pusher involvesteeth on the exterior of the pusher, preferably in series lengthwise ofthe pusher and these teeth normally cooperate with or engage the bottom21 of the cup where the pusher passes through 'the bottom so that thepusher is normally held against movement lengthwise of the cup. A notch61 is provided in the wall of the opening provided in the bottom of thecup to pass the-pusher and is such that the pusher from the exterior ofthe With this con-,

can be rotated to a position where the teeth register with the notch,thus freeing the pusher so that it can be moved relative to the cuplengthwise thereof.

The operating means for the pusher employed in both forms of inventionmay involve a key 70 located in the chamber X of head 11 and carried ona spindle 71 rotatably carried by the disc-like end 13 of head 11. Amanually engageable part or knob 72 is provided on the outer end ofspindle 71 or adjacent the exterior of end 13 so that it is convenientlyengageable and can be operated to cause rotation of the spindle andconsequently rotation of the key 70. The spindle 71 is freely rotatablein a suitable opening provided in end 13, and knob 72 is tight onspindle 71.

Suitable engagement is provided between the key 70 and the pusher 51. Inthe case illustrated, a projecting rib 75 is provided on the key and adiametrically disposed key slot or groove 76 is provided in the end ofthe pusher that opposes the key. The construction and relationship issuch that when the means C is operated so that the cup of means B isfully retracted, or at the inner end of body portion 10, the key '70cooperatively engages the pusher 51 or has keyed engagement therewith.In such case, rotation of the knob 72 causes operation or rotation ofthe pusher 51. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7,rotation of the pusher shifts or advances longitudinally of the cupcarrying the material S and may cause the false bottom to push materialfrom the cup. In the case of the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9,rotation of the pusher can move the teeth into register with notch 61,whereupon further operation of the means C will cause further depressionof the cup and consequent movement of the false bottom in the cupejecting material therefrom. When the desired ejection has been gained,the pusher can be rotated moving the teeth into engage ment with the cupbottom where they hold the parts in set position.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the structureprovided by the present invention provides a device holding or carryinga lipstick for operation in a manner similar, generally, to that foundin the ordinary structure of this kind. It is notable, however, thatwhen the lipstick has been used down to the point where its exposed endis substantially flush with the open end of the cup, the mechanism thatI have provided can be operated to eject material from the cup, makingit accessible for convenient use, and this ejecting action can becarried on until practically all of the material has been ejected fromthe cup.

By providing the head 11 with a removable end 13 I provide a structurewherein said end of the head can be removed, if desired, making itpossible to manually engage and operate the pusher, without use of anoperating means or structure such as I have hereinabove described.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of myinvention, 1 do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variationsor modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for handling a substantially solid stick of materialincluding, an elongate tubular body with an open outer end and having ahead on the inner end thereof, a cup slidable longitudinally in the bodyand carrying the stick facing the outer end of the body, means adaptedto operate the cup longitudinally in the body including a sleeve aroundthe body, a cam liner in the sleeve and around the body and having acam-way therein and a cam follower projecting from the cup and operatingin the cam-way, the body having a longitudinal guide slot passing thefollower from the cup to the cam-Way, and means adapted to ejectmaterial from the cup including, a substantially flat bottom in the cupslidably engaged therewith and shiftable longitudinally thereof, thebottom being fiat against and confined to the end of the stick ofmaterial, an elongate threaded pusher engaged with and shiftablerelative to the cup and permanently engaged with the bottom, the pusherprojecting away from the bottom and stick of material and from the cup,and means operating the pusher including a key rotatably carried by thehead and adapted to releasably engage and operate the pusher.

2. A device for handling a stick of material including, an elongatetubular body with an open outer end, a closure at the other end of thebody and rotatable relative thereto, a cup slidable longitudinally inthe body and carrying the stick facing the outer end of the body, meansadapted to operate the cup longitudinally in the body, the cup having acylindrical portion closed at one end by a bottom, an ejector in the cupmovable therein to force material therefrom, a pusher entering the cupthrough the bottom thereof and engaging the ejector, the pusher having athread thereon engaged with a thread in the bottom of the cup, and anelement carried by the closure and adapted to releasably engage andoperate the pusher.

3. A device for handling a stick of material including, an elongatetubular body with an open outer end, a closure at the other end of thebody and rotatable relative thereto, a cup slidable longitudinally inthe body and carrying the stick facing the outer end of the body, cammeans adapted to operate the cup longitudinally in the body, the cuphaving a cylindrical portion closed at one end by a bottom with anelongate slot therein, a disc shaped ejector in the cup movable thereinto force material therefrom, an elongate pusher with a grooved inner endextending longitudinally of the body and entering the cup through theslot in the bottom thereof and engaging the ejector, the pusher havingteeth thereon cooperating with the bottom of the cup to normally holdthe pusher against movement relative to the cup, and an element carriedby the closure and adapted to releasably engage and operate the pusher.

4. A device for handling a stick of material including, an elongatetubular body with an open outer end, a closure at the other end of thebody and rotatable relative thereto, a cup slidable longitudinally inthe body and carrying the stick facing the outer end of the body, meansadapted to operate the cup longitudinally in the body, the cup having acylindrical portion closed at one end by a bottom, an ejector in the cupmovable therein to force material therefrom, a pusher entering the cupthrough the bottom thereof and engaging the ejector, the bottom of thecup having an opening slidably passing the pusher and having a notch inits Wall, the pusher having teeth thereon operable through the notch andengageable with the bottom to hold the pusher against movement relativeto the cup, and an element carried by the closure and adapted toreleasably engage and operate the pusher.

5, A device for handling a stick of material substantially solid incross-section including, an elongate tubular body with an open outer endand a head at the inner end, a cup slidable longitudinally in the bodyand carrying the stick facing the outer end of the body, means adaptedto operate the cup longitudinally in the body, a bottom in the cup st itable relative thereto to eject material therefrom, a pusher engagedwith the cup and having a terminal end in the cup and permanentlyengaged with the bottom whereby the pusher extends in one direction onlyfrom the bottom, and an operator carried by the head of the body andcooperating with the pusher, the operator including a key in the bodyopposing the pusher and a manually operated member at the exterior ofthe body and connected with the key, the pusher having threadedengagement with the cup.

6. A device for handling a stick of material including, an elongatetubular body with an open outer end and a head at the inner end, anoutwardly opening cup slidable longitudinally in the body and carryingthe stick facing the outer end of the body, cam means adapted to oper-,in the cup and carrying the bottom,

ate the cup longitudinally in the body, a bottom in the cup shiftablerelative thereto to eject material therefrom, an elongate pusherextending longitudinally of the body with a groove in its inner end andengaged with the cup and engaging the bottom, and an operator rotatablycarried by the head of the body and cooperating with the pusher, theoperator including a key in the body opposing the grooved end of thepusher and a manually operated member at the exterior of the body andconnected with the key, the pusher having longitudinally spaced teethprojecting laterally therefrom to bereleasably engaged with the cup.

7. A device for handling a substantially solid elongate stick ofmaterial including, an elongate tubular body with an open outer end, amanually engageable head at the inner end of the'body, an outwardlyopening cup slidable longitudinally in the body and carrying the stickfacing the outer end of the body, manually operable cam meanssurrounding the body and adapted to operate the cup longitudinally inthe body, a fiat disc shaped bottom in the cup shiftable relativethereto to eject material therefrom, an elongate pusher having its outerterminal end the pusher having threaded engagement with the inner end ofthe cup and adapted to move relative thereto to shift the bottomlongitudinally in the cup, and a manually engageable operator rotatablycarried by the head at the inner end of the body and having a keyextending outwardly to be releasably engaged with the inner terminal endof the pusher when the cup is in the inner end of the body to moverelative to the cup.

8. A device for handling a substantially solid elongate stick ofmaterial including, an elongate tubular body with an open upper end, anenlarged manually engageable head at the inner end of the body, anoutwardly opening cup slidable longitudinally in the body and carryingthe stick facing the outer end of the body, manually operable cam meanssurrounding the body and adapted to operate the cup longitudinally inthe body, a flat disc shaped bottom in the cup shiftable longitudinallyrelative thereto to eject material therefrom, an elongate pusher havinga shouldered outer terminal end permanently engaging and rotatablycarrying the bottom and having threaded engagement with the inner end ofthe cup and adapted to move relative thereto to shift the bottom in thecup, and an operator carried by the head of the body and adapted toengage and operate the pusher, the operator including a key in the innerterminal end of the body opposing the pusher and releasably engageabletherewith and a manually operated disc shaped member at the exterior ofthe body connected and adapted to operate the key.

9. A device for handling a stick of material including, an elongatetubular body with an open outer end and a hollow head at the inner end,a cup slidable longitudinally in the body and carrying the stick facingthe outer end of the body, means adapted to operate the cuplongitudinally in the body, a bottom in the cup shiftable relativethereto to eject material therefrom, a pusher having a terminal end inthe cup and having threaded engagement with the cup, the bottom beingcarried in a fixed position on the terminal end of the pusher, and anoperator rotatably carried by the head of the body and cooperating withthe pusher, the operator including a key in the body opposing the pusherand a manually operated member at the exterior of the body and connectedwith the key, the pusher having a slotted end opposing the key and thekey having a projection engageable in the slot of the pusher.

10. -A device for handling a substantially solid elongate stick ofmaterial including, an elongate tubular body with an open outer end, ahead at the innerend of the body, an outwardly opening cup slidablelongitudinally in the body and carrying the stick facing the outer endofthe body, manually operable cam means surrounding the body and adaptedto operate the cup longitudinally in the body, a fiat bottom in the cupshiftable longitudinally relative thereto to eject material therefrom,an elongate pusher carrying the bottom and having threaded engagementwith the cup to move longitudinally relative thereto when rotated, thepusher having its outer terminal end in the cup and the bottom beingpermanently located at said terminal end of the pusher, and an operatorfor the pusher carried by the head of the body and adapted to releaseably engage the pusher when the cup is at the inner end of the body, theoperatorincluding a key in the body opposing and engageable with theinner terminal end of the pusher and a manually operated member at theexterior of the body rigidly connected to the key and rotatable relativeto the body, the head of the body including a cylindrical handle portionand a flat end closing the handle portion and the said member being flatagainst the flat end of the head and being of substantially the size asthe handle portion. 7 r n 11. A device .for handling a stick of materialincluding,

, an elongate tubular body having an open outer end, a cup slidablelongitudinally in the body and carrying the stick facing the outer endof the body, means carried by the body and adapted to operate the cuplongitudinally in the body including a sleeve around the body, a camliner retained in the sleeve and engaged around the body and having acam-way therein and a cam follower projecting from the cup and operatingin the cam-way, the body having a projection at its outer end retainingthe liner, having a manually engageable head at the other end retainingthe sleeve and liner and having a longitudinal guide slot passing thefollower from the cup to the cam-way, and means adapted to ejectmaterial from the cup including, a hat bottom in the cup shiftablelongitudinally thereof, an

elongate longitudinally disposed pusher carried by and shiftablerelative to the cup and engaging the bottom, and means carried by saidhead and adapted to operate the pusher, the cam liner being a sheet ofmaterial cylindrically curved and having spaced opposed ends definingthe cam-way and having end edges engaged by the lip and head. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS

